Industry News

CBP Issues New FAQ Document on Its Ruling Program

January 25, 2010


U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a new Informed Compliance Publication on its rulings program. The document, entitled What Every Member of the Trade Community Should Know About: U.S. Customs & Border Protection Rulings Program, provides guidance on the administrative process involved in submitting ruling request, request for internal advice, requests for protest reviews, and requests to reconsider previously issued ruling letters.

The CBP ruling program is intended to provide the international trade community with a transparent and efficient means of understanding how CBP will treat a particular import once it arrives in the United States. Among other things, the new document discusses how a member of the international trade community can request a ruling.

According to the document’s table of contents, some of the topics discussed include:

  • How do I request a prospective ruling from Headquarters?
  • What must be included in all prospective ruling requests sent to Regulations & Rulings?
  • Is there any other information that I should include when submitting a prospective ruling request?
  • What happens if I believe that a ruling letter issued to me is incorrect?
  • What happens if CBP determines that a previously issued ruling is incorrect?
  • What happens if I have not requested a prospective ruling and the goods that I have imported arrived in the U.S.?
  • How do I file a request for internal advice?
  • How do I file an application for further review of a protest?
  • Who can rely on rulings issued by CBP?

To view the Informed Compliance Publication as published by CBP, click here